Cigarette case



A. J. cAMPos CIGARETTE-CASE Filed March 24, 1937 ADOLFO JUAN CAMPUSINVENTOR mam AITTORNEY July 12, 1938.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES CIGARETTE CASE Adolfo Juan Campos,Kearny, N. J., assignor of one-half to John N. Hemsley, Kearny, N. .1.

Application March 24,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers and pertiaiiins more particularlyto cigarette cases or the e. One object of my invention is to provide acigarette case containing between its covers. a

latched two-part holder adapted to retain cigarettes stored therein insuch a manner that they may be withdrawn without damage, one at a timeas needed.

Another object is to provide means for positioning such holder, when thecase is opened, to make the contained cigarettes more accessible forwithdrawal.

Still another object is to furnish a novel and convenient finger latchto engage the two parts of the holder and yet to be ready for instantrelease with a slight pressure of the finger.

Other objects will appear from the description which follows:

I am aware that heretofore various types of hinged two-part containershave been in use, and for cigarettes in particular many forms havebeenemployed. Objections exist to the unhandy means of extractingcigarettes from such cases and to the attendant hazard of bending,breaking or tearing the cigarettes. Generally the last cigarettesremoved are more difficult to withdraw than the preceding' ones. Inaddition storing the cigarettes in such cases is a slow tediousoperation that often causes damage to some of ,them. I overcome theseand other difficulties now present in cigarette containers of the typementioned by the controlled movement of a hinged cigarette holderbetween the opened covers of a. cigarette case.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a cigarette case embodying myinvention, in closed 40 position with a portion broken away to show thewithin contained holder.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the case of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevational View of the two- 45 part hinged holderonly.

Figure 4 is a side elevational View of the holder of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end view of the holder showing the finger latchconstruction.

Figure 6 is a cross section in side elevation of a case in open positionwith part of cover I broken away showing the holder charged withcigarettes.

Referring to the drawing in which similar numbers identify the same orsimilar parts thru- 1937, Serial No. 132,698

out the several views, the construction) is as follows:

The cigarette case consists of a pair of dished covers I and 2, termedherein as the rear and front cover respectively, pivotally connectedalong adjacent edges by a hinge connection composed of locking rod 5passing thru the eyes formed by lugs IS on cover I and lugs I on cover2. These lugs are offset with respect to the covers and bent back onthemselves to form aligned eyes. They are so disposed as to permitsimilarly formed eyes 8 and 9 and spring II] of the holder, hereinafterdescribed, to be'likewise mounted on looking rod 5. The covers I and 2areheld in closed position, or released therefrom, by catch I8 mountednear the cover edges opposite to the hinge connection.

The holder referred to hereinbefore, consists of two parts, a bottompart or tray 3 and a retaining arm 4, designed to contain two layers ofcigarettes laid parallel to the hinge connection. Tray 3 is hinged bylugs 8 on looking rod 5, and retaining arm 4 is hinged by lugs 9, onlocking rod 5. Tray 3 is a fiat piece turned up along three edgesandperforated with openings I! to reduce the weight of the piece. At thehinged end the turned up portion is sufficiently large to nest tray 3inside of rear cover I of the case. At the other end the portion turnedup is substantially equal to the length of twodiameters of an averagecigarette. Along one longitudinal edge sufiicient material is turned upto act. as a check for the ends of cigarettes brought to bear againstit. Cigarettes are withdrawr'i'over the other longitudinal edge of tray3, which is cut back along line I9 to afford a ready hold on thecigarettes by the finger.

Arm 4 is a flat strip of resilient material which fits into recess I5 intray 3 and engages with tray 3 by clasp I3 and catch I6. It is curvednear its hinged end to afford space between tray 3 and arm 4 for thestoring of two layers of cigarettes as shown in Fig. 6.

Clasp I3 is a continuation .at right angles of arm 4 and at its end isoffset and rolled back on itself to form catch I6. Catch I6 fits intonotch I4 in tray 3 but the resilient nature of clasp I3 allows it to beengaged or disengaged at will. Notch I4 is rectangular in shape exceptfor a semi-circular offset in the side immediately beneath catch I6.Thus a finger hold is made easy beneath catch I6 to disengage it fromnotch I4 preliminary to raising arm 4 of the holder and filling theholder with cigarettes.

Mounted on locking rod 5 is spring II] which consists of spring wirecoiled about rod 5 with one end bearing against the inside of cover Iand the other end against the under side of tray 3 so that the action ofthe spring raises the holder into the position shown in Fig. 6.

Secured to the under side of tray 3 and .the inside of cover I at pointsof attachment I2 is a flexible snubbing member H. I may use a metalchain or, as illustrated, a short length of ribbon. Any material thatwill fold back on itself out of the way when tray 3 is closed. uponcover I may be used.

When covers I and 2 are opened the holder is raised by spring l0 andheld in position as in Fig. 6 by the restraint imposed by snubbingmember I I. This positions the cigarettes conveniently for withdrawingfrom the holder and that position will always be the same relative tocover 1, although covers I and 2 may assume any angle. The cigarettesare withdrawn of course without raising arm 4, and any one of them isaccessible and easy to extract being held by the slight pressure exertedby arm 4.

Many variations from the specific illustration given may be made.Springs to separate covers I and 2 may be added. Other shapes of tray 3and arm 4 may be employed and other types of springs may be substitutedfor spring In.

It is apparent that other modifications may also be made and theforegoing description is intended to be illustrative only and in no waylimiting upon the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a cigarette case the combination with a pair of hinged covers of atwo part holder adapted to receive a plurality of cigarettes, comprisinga bottom part dished to nest in one of the covers, a resilient cigaretteretaining member opposed to the bottom part at a spaced distancetherefrom, both parts being hinged on the axis common to the case coversat one end and being attachable at the other end by a clasp comprisingthe extremity of the retaining member turned substantially at rightangles to itself toward the bottom part and adapted to bear on the outersurface of the adjacent turned up portion of the bottom part and torecess therein in an aligned slotted opening.

2. In a cigarette case the combination with a pair of hinged covers of atwo part holder adapted to receive a plurality of cigarettes, comprisinga bottom part turned up along three edges to nest in one of the coversand cut back along the fourth. edge so that stored cigarettes protrudebeyond such edge, a resilient retaining member opposed to the bottompart at a. spaced distance therefrom to yieldingly hold cigarettestherebetween joined thereto at one end by a hinge connection whose axisis common to the hinge connection axis of the covers and lying at theother end in a recess in the adjacent turned up edge of the bottom partwith its end rolled back on itself to form a catch engageable in analigned slot in the upturned edge of the bottom part, such slot beingenlarged on its underside to afford a finger hold for releasing anengaged catch.

3. A cigarette case comprising two covers enclosing a two part holderall pivotally mounted on a common axis with a spring and foldableconnection disposed between one cover and the holder to position it in apredetermined relationship with such cover when the case is open, thesaid holder consisting of a tray part turned up along three edges tonest in one of the covers and out back along the fourth edge so thatstored cigarettes protrude beyond such edge, a resilient retainingmember opposed to the tray part at a spaced distance therefrom toyieldingly hold cigarettes therebetween when attached thereto by a claspconnection comprising a notch in the turned up edge of the tray partadapted to receive the retaining member, and the outer portion of theretaining member bent at right angles to itself to overlie such turn upedge with its end rolled back on itself to form a catch engageable in analigned slot in the tray part, such slot enlarged on its underside toafford a finger hold for releasing an engaged catch.

4. A holder adapted to yieldingly hold a plurality of cigarettes and becontained within the covers of a cigarette case and pivotally mountedtherein, comprising a tray part formed of one piece turned up alongthree edges to define the limits of cigarette storage space on threesides thereof, with the fourth edge out back to cause stored cigarettesto project beyond such edge, a resilient retaining member spanningacross one dimension of the tray member, hinge connected thereto at oneend and clasp connected thereto at the other end, such clasp connectioncomprising the end portion of the retaining member bent over theadjacent turned up edge of the tray part to be parallel thereto with acatch formed at the extreme end of the retaining member engageable in analigned slot in the said turned up edge of the tray part.

ADOLFO JUAN CANEPOS.

